Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Highways closed the old Highway 35 bridge in Nipawin Wednesday owing to its rapid deteriorating condition.
“It’s definitely been approaching the end of its service life for some time,” said Patrick Book, a spokesperson for the department.
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The bridge was constructed in 1931 and was originally meant to close down following the establishment of a replacement bridge on Highway 55 located 5km away.
A third-party inspection done late last week revealed that one of the structures for the roadway approach spans indicated signs of overloading.
The inspector recommended that the bridge be instantly closed. Over 600 cars use the bridge daily, according to the ministry.
Book said that whereas there’s no imminent danger, the ministry wanted to stay cautious.
“We want to err on the side of caution and make sure that we are doing everything we can to prevent something unfortunate from happening,” he said.
The department added that it understands the effects the closure will have on the community and apologized for the short notice.